Voices of Ukraine

Dmitry Tymchuk, Head of the Center for Military and Political Research, Coordinator of the Information Resistance group, Member of Parliament (People’s Front)
06.04.2015
Translated and edited by Voices of Ukraine

Operational data from Information Resistance (events around Marinka):

Yesterday, 06.03.2015, starting approximately at 4:10 AM, Russian-terrorist troops started heavy shelling of the positions of Ukrainian troops in the vicinity of Marinka [west of Donetsk]. Between 6:45 and 7:00 AM, Russian-terrorist troops started an active offensive on the stretch between Marinka and Krasnohorivka.

According to IR Group data, the following insurgent units took part in the shelling:

– two units operating Gvozdika 2S1 122-mm self-propelled artillery guns (a total of 18);

– eight Msta-B 152-mm howitzers;

– at least six Acatsiya 2S3 152-mm artillery units;

– three 2S5 Giantsint 152-mm self-propelled guns.

We also spotted several “roving” (actively maneuvering) batteries of D-30 122-m howitzers: a total of 14 guns split into two units. The enemy used massive amounts of 120-mm and 82-mm mortars, including mobile ones (mounted on vehicles).

After an unsuccessful attempt to mount an offensive on the ATO forces’ positions, the insurgents employed multiple rocket launching systems. Three massive strikes were made using BM-21 Grad MRLS, both on the front edge and on the tactical rear of our troops (in addition to that, a strike from Smerch 9K58 was made around 11:30 AM on the tactical rear of Ukrainian troops and civilian objects, in the vicinity of Kurakhove).

Starting from 10 AM, terrorist formations started an offensive in two tactical groups, each amounting to one reinforced “infantry” (motorized rifle) battalion in strength:

– the first tactical group moved along the Donetsk ring-road from Oleksandrivka (over almost entirely open terrain, which became fatal for it);

– the second tactical group proceeded towards Krasnohorivka through Staromykhailivka (over a rather narrow strip of land between two bodies of water).

In addition to that, the second tier of Russian-terrorist troops contained reserve forces, to further reinforce the offensive effort in whichever direction would prove successful (a total of two “infantry” groups, each one up to one reinforced company in strength, plus one tank company).

At the same time, we spotted enemy infantry groups (up to one reinforced company) in the vicinity of Novhorodske, attempting to advance to the north of Avdiivka. As a result of several tactical maneuvers and flanking attempts, the insurgents were forced to fall back towards the western outskirts of Horlivka, following a 1.5-hour close-range firefight.

All tactical Russian-terrorist groups operating in the Petrovskiy district of Donetsk in the direction of Marinka included armored vehicles and trucks.

The enemy’s use of artillery was centralized, adjusted and controlled from a single center. The insurgent artillery operators employed “fire escorting,” one of the most complex artillery methods (even though one of the front groups of the advancing terrorists broke too far forward and came under friendly artillery fire). Furthermore, enemy artillery delivered frequent strikes on the front edge of Ukrainian troops, as well as the tactical rear, in an attempt to prevent the approach of reinforcements.

As a result of the firefight in the western and southwestern outskirts of Marinka, the enemy sacrificed several armored vehicles and trucks to reach the front checkpoint of the Ukrainian troops and occupy it (which became the biggest achievement of Russian-terrorist troops over the last 24 hours).

Insurgent units operating to the north and south of Marinka came under the retaliatory fire of Ukrainian troops, as did several terrorist groups attempting to circle Krasnohorivka from the south.

In the end, on the relatively short stretch between Oleksandrivka and Marinka, the enemy suffered such significant losses from the fire delivered by Ukrainian troops that they were forced to stop. After that, the enemy again started concentrating their artillery fire on the stronghold and positions of Ukrainian troops – largely unsuccessfully.

In turn, starting from 1 PM, Ukrainian troops pulled the artillery closer to the front edge, while deploying tactical reserves behind Marinka. Ukrainian troops delivered a combination strike from cannon and rocket artillery on the line reached by the enemy forces at the time. They also mounted a counterattack on the ATO checkpoint they had left earlier.

The insurgents were forced to leave the occupied checkpoint and retreat towards Oleksandrivka, to their original lines. The reserve units of Russian-terrorist troops that were following the first tier came under artillery fire by the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and could not influence the course of the battle for Marinka.

Before the end of the day, Ukrainian Army units entirely suppressed enemy resistance in the vicinity of Marinka. During the night, the enemy shelled ATO positions heavily, but made no attempts to re-initiate the offensive.

Source: Dmitry Tymchuk FB

Dmitry Tymchuk, Head of the Center for Military and Political Research, Coordinator of the Information Resistance group, Member of Parliament (People’s Front)
06.03.2015
Translated and edited by Voices of Ukraine

Operational data from Information Resistance:

During the past 24 hours, the Russian-terrorist troops in Donbas shelled the positions of ATO [anti-terrorism operation] forces and civilian objects in all directions – in the daytime, they concentrated fire on the seaside direction and on the north of Luhansk region, and since yesterday evening – they concentrated fire on the Donetsk direction.

Mobile firing groups of terrorists fired at the advanced positions, observation posts, and the guard outposts of ATO forces with machine guns and AGS-17 automatic grenade launchers from a relatively close distance (the “neutral zone”) in the vicinity of Novotoshkivske, Zolote, Donetske, Horihove, and a thermal power plant near Shchastya; the weapons were brought by cargo vehicles.

Under cover of these attacks, at least two attempts to infiltrate the tactical rear of the Ukrainian troops have been observed by the terrorist sabotage and reconnaissance group in the vicinity of ​​ Shchastya. In addition, insurgents use lone snipers and sniper groups along with shellings on this stretch and other areas along the Siversky Donets River. This leads to the following conclusion: a “war of small groups” continues to flare up in these areas, accompanied by bilateral active mine-laying of areas and directions that are dangerous for subversive activities.

On a relatively narrow stretch from Krymske to Trokhizbenka, the enemy has actively used heavy grenade launchers and automatic grenade launchers (SPG-9 and AGS-17), 82-mm mortars, as well as Zu-23-2 mobile autocannons.

In the seaside direction near Shyrokyne, terrorists actively shelled ATO forces’ positions with mortars, grenade launchers, and heavy-caliber machine guns. Several fire strikes from an insurgent 122-mm cannon artillery were recorded near Chermalyk and Pavlopil.

Terrorist used four tanks firing from disguised and camouflaged positions in the Donetsk direction near Troitske. The settlemments of Pisky and Opytne were “customarily” shelled using small arms and mortars; insurgents have repeatedly fired from large-caliber machine guns. Terrorists used mortars in the vicinity of Hranitne.

Over the past 24 hours, a concentrated movement of terrorist vehicles was observed in Donetsk and Yasynuvata, in the direction of Horlivka, through Khartsyzk, Rozdolne, and Snizhne. An intensive movement of material and technical resources has been recorded in Donetsk (thus, an automobile convoy of about 20 vehicles has moved in the direction of Spartak), as well as in Petrovskyi and Kyivskyi city districts (supplies were transported to the forward positions [of terrorists]).

A convoy of 12 vehicles, two tanks on trailers, and four “MSTA-B” guns in tow has attracted attention; the convoy is moving south of Luhansk (according to preliminary data – to Krasnodon where a repair and restoration shop for the military equipment of terrorists is located) .

The movement of six insurgent ACVs, including two armored GAZ-2330 “Tiger” vehicles (produced in Russia; Ukraine does not have them in service) has been observed near Shakhtarsk. One of the “Tiger” vehicles is a “Leer-2” modified automated mobile complex of radio-electronic simulation and jamming.

“LNR, DNR / Crimea, Russia” on signpost

Source: Dmitry Tymchuk FB

Dmitry Tymchuk, Head of the Center for Military and Political Research, Coordinator of the Information Resistance group, Member of Parliament (People’s Front)
06.02.2015
Translated and edited by Voices of Ukraine

Operational data from Information Resistance:

During the past 24 hours (06.01.-06.02.2015), a decrease in the activity of Russian-terrorist forces has been observed during the daytime in the conflict zone in Donbas. In the evening and at nighttime, the number of fire strikes on Ukrainian troop positions has increased dramatically.

Throughout yesterday, insurgents used 82-mm and 120-mm mortars, small arms, and 122-mm artillery in the seaside (Mariupol) direction. The elevations northwest of Shyrokyne, and the positions of Ukrainian troops in the vicinity of Pavlopil have been shelled. In the vicinity of Hranitne, an insurgent “roving” mortar battery (82-mm mortars) has been observed again; the battery shelled ATO forces’ advanced positions twice.

Shyrokyne. Photo: Max Avdeev. Source.

Terrorist strikes from small arms have been recorded in the vicinity of ​​Mariinka, shellings from 120-mm mortars have been observed near Pisky, and 122-mm cannon artillery – near Opytne (a battery of insurgent D-30 howitzers.)

Ukrainian army soldiers of 2nd battalion 93 brigade in Opytne. Photo: Max Avdeev. Source.

Enemy infantry firing groups operated near Kirove and Zolote using their old strategy – enter the “neutral line,” get closer to the forward positions of Ukrainian troops, shell [them], after retaliatory fire by ATO forces, retreat to the starting line (besides small arms, insurgents also used AGS-17 automatic grenade launchers in the vicinity of Zolote). An armed confrontation with an enemy sabotage and reconnaissance group has been observed near Vesela Dolyna.

During the past 24 hours, the active movement of insurgent vehicles has been recorded along the Luhansk – Donetsk highway, and along several major bypass roads. The most animated areas of insurgent vehicle movement were Donetsk, Luhansk, and their surrounding areas, the highway from Amvrosiivka towards Starobesheve and Ilovaisk, towards Telmanovo and further south towards Novoazovsk, Makiivka, Yenakijeve, as well as a segment from Alchevsk and Perevalsk towards Stakhanov and Pervomaisk. Insurgents actively use vehicles for rotation and transfer of manpower within Donetsk, Yasynuvata, and Horlivka.

Movement of military units and equipment:

• An accumulation of several gangs has been observed in the Petrovskyi district of Donetsk (the so-called “Battalions of the 5th Motorized Brigade of the DNR Armed Forces”), with 24 to 25 tanks assigned to them (several tanks are used as “roving” vehicles on the stretch from Mariinka to Shumy).

• In Donetsk, insurgents have organized the restoration, repair, and maintenance of armored vehicles at a number of city businesses. Repair kits and related parts have started to arrive en masse from the territory of the Russian Federation through Ilovaisk (earlier, their shortage has been felt acutely [by the terrorists]).

• Eight MLRS units and four D-30 howitzers have dissapperated from an insurgent equipment storage site south of Luhansk. At the moment, these weapons are actively used to shell in the directions of Lisichansk and Severodonetsk.

• Continued reinforcement of terrorist tactical groups with armored vehicles and manpower has been observed between Donetsk, Horlivka, and inside these towns. In particular, insurgents have reinforced their positions north of Yasynuvata with five tanks and three ACVs. The positions of armored vehicles are carefully masked.

• The transfer of an insurgent group of 55-60 people on three APCs and a BMP-2 (with multiple trucks) has been observed in the direction of Donetsk through Olenivka.

• Terrorist tank maneuvers have been recorded in the vicinity of Telmanove and Hranitne (three tanks were withdrawn from the fortified and camouflaged advanced positions deeper inside terrorist formations).

• The periodic movement of insurgent trailers with armored vehicles (mostly damaged and inoperable) has been observed from Luhansk towards Krasnodon and through Krasnyi Luch and Antratsyt towards Dolzhanskiy. Eight trailers have been recorded within the last 24 hours. Terrorists ceased to disguise these armored vehicles during transfers (the equipment is not even tarped).

Source: Dmitry Tymchuk FB